Phil Galfond, the founder and head of Run It Once Poker, pulled a stunt that is reminiscent of the gold old times of online poker.
Phil Galfond Challenges Anyone In Durrr-Style Heads-Up PLO Challenge
Earlier this week, he tweeted out a post from RIO’s website. It read the following:
This one is short and sweet, just like me.https://t.co/YGPAAdJeU7
— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) November 19, 2019
“Who wants to play some high stakes poker with a washed-up ex-pro?! (…)
I’m looking for some high stakes HU action to help promote Run It Once Poker, and I’d like it to be a challenge that we can build some hype around. (…)
An open challenge to anyone who currently makes training videos for a site other than Run It Once. (…)
HU PLO, similar to the infamous Durrrr challenge: 50k hands, 3:1 on a sidebet of 10 buyins, played at 100/200+.
Any competing training site coaches – please feel free to take me up on that! You’ll get preference over anyone else. (Plus you’ll get 3:1)
I’d consider dropping the stakes if it helps get me some action here, but I would prefer a bigger game so we can bring in some viewers.”
That’s right, Phil Galfond is willing to give anyone 3:1 odds in a $100/$200+ heads-up PLO challenge just to promote his online poker room and poker coaching site. That is some pizzazz we haven’t seen in a long time in the online poker community.
Evidently, we all hope this going to play out a lot better than the infamous Durrrr-challenge. Much to many fans’ chagrin, Tom Dwan and Daniel “Jungleman” Cates still haven’t finished their duel over 9 years after they started, all because of Dwan’s evasiveness…
Bill Perkins Is the First Challenger
The very next day of his big announcement, Phi Galfond tweeted that he already has no less than 11 challengers.
1 day since I posted my HU Challenge & I have 11 challengers & counting! Blown away by the response.
If anyone was worried about the high stakes battles not happening, you can relax now.
If you want to challenge me, hurry up! Hope to lock in & share some battle plans publicly.
— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) November 20, 2019
Although he did not disclose the full list of players who have taken him up on his offer, one person is 100% confirmed. The first contestant in the Phil Galfond PLO challenge is going to be Bill Perkins.
I’ll do it with a couple of tweaks:
1. 50k hands or 10 buy-in
2. Can seat myself or any TL member for any period
3. You cant watch any of played hands from my/TL side on stream.
4. 4 to 1 side on 10 buy ins
5. Banner my book & purchase link 1yr
Come at me bro!— Bill Perkins (Guy) (@bp22) November 20, 2019
Booked 🙂
Heading into a meeting, but I’ll reach out privately later to discuss details. Looking forward to it!
— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) November 20, 2019
Perkins is an American billionaire and famous recreational poker player. He made his billions managing an investment firm that specializes in the American energy market.
He’s no stranger to poker either. Just last week, he took down the $5,200 partypoker Sunday High Roller Big Game for $100K.
However, Perkins is not a professional either. Therefore Phil Galfond was willing to give him 4:1 odds instead of the originally proposed 3:1.
The crazy heads-up battle will take place on the servers of Run It Once Poker. Galfond made it quite clear that this is a promotional stunt for his website – however, the online poker community doesn’t seem to mind.
His original tweet garnered a load of positive and supportive responses, letting Phil Galfond know how excited they are for such a spectacle.
And who knows who will be the next one to take on the Phil Galfond heads-up PLO challenge?
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